Top-Fill Hummingbird Feeder With Float Valve Base Closure Mechanism

ABSTRACT

A top-fill hummingbird feeder includes a liquid container with a liquid opening at a lower end. A feeding basin is positioned below the liquid container for containing nectar accessed by birds. A sealing mechanism includes a valve responsive to a nectar level in the feeding basin for opening and closing the liquid opening.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a continuation of co-pending U.S. application Ser.No. 16/127,492, filed Sep. 11, 2018, which is a continuation of U.S.application Ser. No. 15/398,448 filed Jan. 4, 2017, issuing as U.S. Pat.No. 10,085,426 on Oct. 2, 2018, which is a continuation of Ser. No.14/516,224 filed Oct. 16, 2014, issuing as U.S. Pat. No. 9,549,537 onJan. 24, 2017, which is a continuation of application Ser. No.13/117,582 filed May 27, 2011, issuing as U.S. Pat. No. 8,869,743 onOct. 28, 2014, which was a continuation-in-part application of U.S.application Ser. No. 12/591,289, filed Nov. 16, 2009, which claimedpriority from U.S. Provisional application Ser. No. 61/202,508 filedMar. 6, 2009, and hereby claims the priority thereof to which it isentitled.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is related to the field of bird feeders and, moreparticularly, to top-fill hummingbird feeders.

BACKGROUND

People who live in an area inhabited by hummingbirds frequently try topromote their presence by the use of hummingbird feeders. Hummingbirdfeeders differ from ordinary bird feeders because hummingbirds feed onnectar or simulated nectar, which are liquid, instead of the dry foodconsumed by most birds. Simulated nectar is typically formed from watersweetened with sugar or honey. In many hummingbird feeders, the nectar(or simulated nectar) is stored in a reservoir and conveyed to simulatedflowers where a perch may be provided so that the hummingbird can landand, having a long, slender beak, insert it into the access apertures inthe simulated flower and feed.

Most hummingbird feeders have one of two basic designs. One includes aninverted top container which empties into a lower reservoir or feedingbasin from which the birds feed. The vacuum at the top of the container(or put another way, the outside air pressure) keeps the liquid in thetop container from draining out too rapidly. The other common feederdesign consists of a container with holes in its cover through which thehummingbirds reach to feed. This latter style of feeder suffers from theproblem that it must be refilled very often, because the level of foodis constantly being reduced by the feeding.

The so-called “vacuum-type” feeders also have problems. For example,they can only be filled by dismantling the feeder and removing the topcontainer from its feeding position. Ordinarily, the consumer mustinvert the feeder in order to refill it, with the attendant risks ofspillage, and requires a certain amount of manual dexterity to createthe necessary vacuum. Moreover, because a vacuum is required, thesedesigns are limited to a single opening for filling and cleaning. Thisopening is typically small, which restricts access to the interior ofthe container and makes it more difficult to effectively clean thecontainer. Additionally, vacuum feeders can corrode or be inefficient,permitting the nectar to leak and creating an increased risk of insectcontamination.

One product which has been available in the market is the Garden SongTop Fill Hummingbird Feeder from Opus Incorporated. The Opus feederincludes an upstanding liquid container with a large top opening and asmall cylindrical lower opening which is screw-threaded into anupstanding cylindrical collar positioned in the center of a feedingbasin or liquid tray. The top opening is closed with a cover that sealsthe container to create a vacuum as the liquid level recedes downwardlyin the container. An internal, rotatable ring or valve mechanism has anupstanding cylindrical wall which surrounds the cylindrical collarinside the feeding basin.

The wall of the cylindrical collar has a plurality of ports, and thecylindrical wall of the rotatable ring has a plurality of correspondingopenings. When the openings in the rotatable ring are aligned with theports of the collar using an externally accessible lever, nectar canflow out of the container lower opening, through the aligned ports andopenings, and into the feeding basin or liquid tray. When the rotatablering is rotated using the externally accessible lever, so that itsopenings are not aligned with the ports of the collar, the nectar flowfrom the container to the feeding basin is cut off. In this condition,the cover can be removed from the container top opening for (re)fillingthe container without nectar in the container flowing out through thecollar to flood and overflow the feeding basin or liquid tray. Thisdesign also permits the top opening to be large enough to facilitateeasy cleaning of the bottle.

There have also been modular designs for hummingbird feeders in which acommon functional feeding module is utilized in conjunction withchangeable decorative outer claddings. However, such prior arthummingbird modular feeders suffer the same drawbacks as discussedabove.

SUMMARY

The present invention is directed to a hummingbird feeder which includesa generally upstanding reservoir bottle or liquid container containing acolumn of nectar and having a large opening at its top end. A removabletop or cap is screw-threaded onto the top end to close and cover the topend opening. The top is vented to prevent a vacuum condition and allowatmospheric pressure to act on the column of nectar. The bottom of thebottle or container has a lower bottom opening, preferably in the formof a bottleneck-shaped cylindrical extension with external threads thatcan be screw-threaded into an upstanding well of a feeding basin thathas a plurality of feeding ports in a known arrangement. A generallycylindrical float valve positioned in the feeding basin well andfloating in the liquid nectar acts to close the bottleneck centralopening when the feeding basin is filled with liquid nectar to theprescribed level. When the level of liquid nectar drops, the verticalheight of the float valve within the basin is also lowered which allowsfluid from the container to flow through the bottleneck opening torefill the basin.

According to a first embodiment, the wall forming the cylindricalextension of the bottleneck converges radially to form a conical closurehaving a sloped outer surface. A small opening at the apex of theconical closure allows nectar to flow from the liquid container into thefeeding basin when the float valve, which has a central portionconfigured to engage the conical closure in a first position, is spacedaway from the sloped outer surface in a second position.

According to a second embodiment, the free or lower end of thebottleneck extension is provided with a seal plate having a smallcentral opening with conically tapered side walls. The float valve has acomplementarily tapered truncated conical projection that plugs thecentral opening when the valve rises to an upper position.

In a third embodiment, the cylindrical well is provided a flat sealingedge portion that surrounds a hollow center portion having an invertedtruncated conical shape with sloped sides. Contained and verticallymovable within the center portion is a plug that fits in sealingengagement with the sloped sides. The plug is mounted on a post whichinitiates vertical movement of the plug in response to a lever armcoupled at a first end to the post and at a second end to a float. Whenthe float is in a low position, the lever arm exerts sufficient force onthe post and the plug to lift them upwardly to open the hollow centerportion of the well so that nectar can flow into the feeding basin. Asthe float rises, and with it the second of the lever arm, the post andplug are allowed to move downwardly in response to liquid pressure inthe container to seal the hollow center portion.

In a fourth embodiment which is similar to the third embodiment, thewell has a sealing plate with a generally cylindrical central hole. Theplug has a post portion that is vertically movable within the hole, andan enlarged head that seals the hole when the plug is in its loweredposition. As with the third embodiment, movement of the plug to open thehole is initiated by a float and lever mechanism responsive to nectarlevel in the feeding basin.

According to a fifth embodiment, the free or lower end of the bottleneckextension is provided with a seal plate having a central opening and adownwardly projecting nozzle positioned under the seal plate. The nozzlehas a liquid flow channel that extends from the nozzle tip to thecentral opening in the seal plate. When the float valve is in a lowerposition, liquid flows from the container through the channel and intothe feeding basin. When the float rises to an upper position, a floatseal on the float valve engages the nozzle tip to seal off the liquidflow channel.

In view of the foregoing, it is an object of the present invention toprovide a reliable, consumer-friendly hummingbird feeder having aliquid-holding container or bottle with a large open top for easy topfilling and cleaning of the container.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a hummingbirdfeeder in which the liquid-holding container or bottle does not have tobe inverted after filling and which does not rely on a vacuum conditionin the liquid-holding container or bottle to control the flow the nectarinto the feeding basin.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a hummingbirdfeeder with a liquid-holding container or bottle having abottleneck-shaped lower end with an opening that is received within anupstanding cylindrical well on the feeding basin and opened and closedby a sealing or valve mechanism in the form of a float valve positionedin the well.

A still further object of the present invention is to provide ahummingbird feeder in accordance with the preceding objects and oneembodiment, in which the bottleneck-shaped lower end of the container isprovided with a bottom having a cone-shaped surface and/or opening,preferably located centrally therein, to mate with a cone-shaped surfaceand/or projection on the upper surface of the float valve that closesthe opening when the liquid nectar in the feeding basin reaches aprescribed level.

An additional object of the present invention is to provide ahummingbird feeder in accordance with the preceding objects, in which acentering mechanism within the upstanding basin well keeps the floatvalve aligned with the opening in the bottom surface of the containerlower end.

Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a hummingbirdfeeder generally in accordance with the preceding objects and anotherembodiment in which the bottleneck-shaped lower end of the container isprovided with a bottom opening that is closed by a plug that isvertically moved by a lever arm and float mechanism coupled to the plugand responsive to nectar level in the feeding basin.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a hummingbirdfeeder generally in accordance with the preceding objects and anotherembodiment in which the bottleneck-shaped lower end of the container isprovided with a seal plate and a downwardly projecting nozzle with aliquid flow channel, and the float has a float seal that engages thenozzle tip to seal off the liquid flow channel when the float is in anupper position.

Still another object of the present invention is to provide ahummingbird feeder in accordance with the preceding objects, which hascomponents that can be easily manufactured from readily available andknown materials and that can be easily assembled for ease and economy ofmanufacture and easily disassembled and reassembled for easy cleaningand which will be sturdy and long lasting in operation and use.

These and other objects of the invention, as well as many of theintended advantages thereof, will become more readily apparent whenreference is made to the following description taken in conjunction withthe accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The invention will now be described by way of example with reference tothe accompanying Figures, of which:

FIG. 1 is an exploded side view of the components of a top-fillhummingbird feeder in accordance with a first embodiment of the presentinvention.

FIG. 2 is an enlarged sectional side view of the feeding basin, sealingmechanism and lower end of the liquid container of the feeder shown inFIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is an exploded side perspective view of the components of atop-fill hummingbird feeder in accordance with a second embodiment ofthe present invention.

FIG. 3A is a perspective view of the float valve as mounted in thecylindrical well of the feeder shown in FIG. 3.

FIG. 4 is a sectional assembled side view of the feeder shown in FIG. 3.

FIG. 5 is an enlarged sectional side view of the feeding basin, sealingmechanism and lower end of the liquid container of the feeder shown inFIG. 3, depicted in the open position.

FIG. 6 is an enlarged sectional side view of the feeding basin, sealingmechanism and lower end of the liquid container of the feeder shown inFIG. 3, depicted in the closed position.

FIG. 7 is an exploded side perspective view of the components of atop-fill hummingbird feeder in accordance with a third embodiment of thepresent invention.

FIG. 7A is a perspective view of the float valve as mounted in thecylindrical well of the feeder shown in FIG. 7.

FIG. 8 is a sectional assembled side view of the feeder shown in FIG. 7.

FIG. 9 is an enlarged sectional side view of the feeding basin, sealingmechanism and lower end of the liquid container of the feeder shown inFIG. 7, depicted in the open position.

FIG. 10 is an enlarged sectional side view of the feeding basin, sealingmechanism and lower end of the liquid container of the feeder shown inFIG. 7, depicted in the closed position.

FIG. 11 is an exploded side perspective view of the components of atop-fill hummingbird feeder in accordance with a fourth embodiment ofthe present invention.

FIG. 11A is a perspective view of the float valve as mounted in thecylindrical well of the feeder shown in FIG. 11.

FIG. 12 is a sectional assembled side view of the feeder shown in FIG.11.

FIG. 13 is an enlarged sectional side view of the feeding basin, sealingplate and bottleneck extension of the feeder shown in FIG. 11, withoutthe plug to show the hole in the plate.

FIG. 14 is an enlarged sectional side view of the feeding basin, sealingmechanism and lower end of the liquid container of the feeder shown inFIG. 11, depicted in the open position.

FIG. 15 is an enlarged sectional side view of the feeding basin, sealingmechanism and lower end of the liquid container of the feeder shown inFIG. 11, depicted in the closed position.

FIG. 16 is an exploded side perspective view of the components of atop-fill hummingbird feeder in accordance with a fifth embodiment of thepresent invention.

FIG. 17 is a sectional perspective view of the cover and base asassembled with the float valve and bottle collar therein, showing thecoupling between the cover and the bottle collar.

FIG. 18 is an enlarged sectional perspective view of the bottle seal andnozzle of the feeder shown in FIG. 16.

FIG. 18A is an enlarged perspective view of the bottle collar shown inFIG. 16.

FIG. 19 is an exploded perspective view of the bottle seal assembly,float valve and feeding basin base of the feeder shown in FIG. 16.

FIG. 20 is a partially exploded perspective view of the components shownin FIG. 19, with the float valve received within the feeding basin base.

FIG. 21 is a perspective view of the bottle seal assembly, float valveand feeding basin base shown in FIG. 19, as assembled.

FIG. 22 is another perspective view of the assembled components shown inFIG. 21.

FIG. 23 is an enlarged sectional perspective view of the bottle sealassembly, float valve and feeding basin base as shown in FIG. 21.

FIG. 24 is another enlarged sectional perspective view of the bottleseal assembly, float valve and feeding basin base as shown in FIG. 21.

FIG. 25 is a perspective view of the float valve within the feedingbasin base and a cutaway view of the bottle seal assembly showing thelower part as engaged with the guide structure of the feeding basinbase.

FIG. 26 is a sectional view of the float valve captured within thefeeding basin base by engagement of the bottle collar with the guidestructures in the base.

FIG. 27 is an upper perspective view of the feeding basin with the covershown transparently in order to view the alignment of the feeding portswith the cutouts in the float.

FIG. 28 is an enlarged sectional side view of the feeding basin, sealingmechanism and lower end of the liquid container of the feeder shown inFIG. 16, depicted in the open position.

FIG. 29 is an enlarged sectional side view of the feeding basin, sealingmechanism and lower end of the liquid container of the feeder shown inFIG. 16, depicted in the closed position.

FIG. 30 is a perspective view of the container cap as shown in FIG. 1,with a vent hole formed therein.

FIG. 31A is a perspective view of a second embodiment of the containercap, in which the vent hole is formed as part of a mounting structureused to hang the feeder.

FIG. 31B is a sectional view of the container cap shown in FIG. 31A.

FIGS. 32A-32E are side views of various containers having differentshapes that may be used in connection with any of the foregoingembodiments of the present invention.

FIGS. 33A-33E are side perspective views of the containers shown inFIGS. 32A-32E, respectively.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS

Five preferred embodiments of the invention are explained in detailherein. However, it is to be understood that the embodiments are givenby way of illustration only. It is not intended that the invention belimited in its scope to the details of construction and arrangement ofcomponents set forth in the following description or illustrated in thedrawings. Also, in describing the preferred embodiments, specificterminology will be resorted to for the sake of clarity. It is to beunderstood that each specific term includes all technical equivalentswhich operate in a similar manner to accomplish a similar purpose.

As shown in FIG. 1, a top-fill hummingbird feeder in accordance with afirst embodiment of the present invention is generally designated byreference numeral 10. The feeder consists of a reservoir bottle orliquid container generally designated by reference numeral 12, a feedingbasin generally designated by reference numeral 14, and a sealing orvalve mechanism generally designated by reference numeral 16. As shownin the enlarged view of FIG. 2, the sealing or valve mechanism 16includes a float valve 20 configured for engagement with the lower endof the liquid container 12.

The liquid container 12 has an upstanding neck 22 forming a largeopening 24 at its upper end 13 for easy filling and cleaning of theliquid container. The bottom of the liquid container forms a generallycylindrical bottleneck-shaped extension 26 with external threads 28 sothat it can be screw-threaded into the mating threads of a cylindricalwall 29 of an upwardly extending cylindrical well 30 of the feedingbasin 14. At the free end 32 of the bottleneck extension 26, thecylindrical wall 27 forming the bottleneck converges radially to form asealing wall or closure 40 having a sloped outer surface 41. At the apexof the conical closure 40 is a small central opening 42. The diameter ofthe central opening 42 is much smaller than the diameter of thebottleneck, as shown in FIG. 2, and preferably includes a downwardlytapering conical side wall 43.

A removable top or cap 50, secured in place such as by threads 54 thatmate with corresponding threads (not shown) inside the cap, closes offthe large opening 24 at the upper end 13 of the liquid container 12 whenthe cap is tightened. The cap 50 is vented to prevent a vacuum conditionand to allow atmospheric pressure to act on the column of nectar beingfed into the feeding basin from the container.

Preferably, the feeding basin 14 is generally circular in plan view andmay be made in two parts including a cover 60 and a base 62 molded ofsuitable polymer material. When the feeder is assembled, the cover 60and the base 62 are sealingly coupled to one another in any mannersuitable for sealingly joining plastic parts, such as by a threadedengagement, adhesive, or other known connecting mechanism, to form thebasin 14.

The basin cover 60 has a central opening 64 through which the bottleneckextension 26 of the container extends. The cover is also molded toinclude a plurality of openings 66 spaced around a periphery thereof forreceiving feeding ports 68. The feeding ports 68 preferably include anornamental part 70 to enhance the overall appearance of the feeder andincrease its attractiveness to the hummingbirds. In the preferredembodiment shown in FIG. 1, the ornamental part 70 resembles flowerpetals. The cover is also preferably formed with perches 72 to supportthe hummingbirds when feeding.

The upwardly extending cylindrical well 30 is preferably integrallymolded with the basin base 62, but it can be formed separately and thenattached to the bottom inner surface 74 of the base in any manner knownby persons of ordinary skill in the art to be suitable for sealinglyjoining plastic parts.

The base 62 includes a bottom 76 and a curved, upwardly directed basewall 78 that define a fluid holding area 88 of the base. The upwardlyextending cylindrical well 30 is preferably centrally positioned withrespect to the bottom 76 and projects above the upper wall 17 of thebasin 14. The wall 29 of the cylindrical well 30 has slots 93 at itslower edge which allow liquid nectar in the fluid holding area 88 tomove freely in and out of the well.

As shown in FIG. 2, the sealing or valve mechanism 16 includes a floatvalve 20 positioned inside the upwardly extending well 30. The floatvalve 20 has a float 90 and a spacing member 92. The periphery 91 of thefloat 90 conforms with, but is spaced slightly away from, the inner wall97 of the well 30, thus centering the float valve 20 in the well 30.Hence, with the float 90 floating on the surface of the liquid nectar95, the float valve 20 can move up and down with the level of the liquidnectar in the basin 14. The spacing member 92 keeps the float valve 20spaced at a minimum vertical distance or height above the bottom 74 ofthe basin base 62, regardless of the nectar level.

Preferably, the float 90 is generally cylindrical or disc-shaped toconform with the wall 29 of the cylindrical well 30. In its preferredembodiment, the float 90 has a substantially flat bottom surface 94 thatis coupled to or integral with the spacing member 92. The upper surface96 of the float has a central portion 98 that slopes downwardly towardthe center of the float 90 at an angle that substantially complementsthe sloped surface 41 of the conical closure 40 on the bottleneck 26 ofthe liquid container. At the bottom of the sloped central portion 98 ofthe float upper surface 96, an annular channel 89 is formed thatsurrounds an upwardly extending, tapered projection 99.

When the feeding basin 14 is full, the level of the nectar 95 raises thefloat valve 20 to bring it into abutment with the sloped surface 41 ofthe closure 40 of the bottleneck. In this position, the taperedprojection 99 is received within and closes the central opening 42 inthe closure 40, preventing further nectar in the container 12 fromflowing into the basin. As the feeder is thereafter used by feedingbirds, the level of nectar 95 in the basin 14 will drop. Since the floatvalve 20 rises and falls with the nectar level, the lowering of thenectar 95 creates a space between the surface 41 of the closure 40 andthe upper surface 96 of the float 90, once again allowing liquid to flowfrom the container 12 into the basin 14 through the opening 42 until thebasin is again filled so as to bring the upper surface 96 of the float90 into abutment with the sloped surface 41 of the closure 40. In thisway, the feeder basin is continually refilled by the quantity of liquidin the container.

To assemble the feeder from an empty state, the bottleneck portion 26 ofthe liquid container 12 is screwed into the internal threads 28 on thewall 29 of the cylindrical well 30, bringing the closure 40 to aposition near, but spaced above, the sloped portion of the float 90. Theliquid container is then filled through the open top thereof. As liquidnectar 95 enters the container 12, the nectar is permitted to flow intothe fluid holding area 88 of the feeder basin 14 through the centralopening 42 in the closure 40 and the slots 93 in the well 30. As thebasin fills up, the float valve 20 rises with the liquid level in thebasin until the sloped surfaces 41, 98 of the closure and the float arein abutment and the projection 99 on the float is fully inserted withinthe closure central opening 42. In this position, the opening 42 isclosed by the projection 99 and the abutment of the sloped surfaces 98,41 on the upper surface 96 of the float 90 with the lower surface of theclosure 40. The flow of liquid nectar into the basin is thus stopped andthe remainder of the container can be filled as desired. Thereafter, thecontainer can be topped off and/or refilled at any time, as needed, byopening the top thereof and adding additional liquid. The upwardpressure of the float valve 20 against the closure 40 once the basin isfull keeps too much liquid from entering the basin and overflowingtherefrom.

To disassemble the feeder for cleaning, the steps taken to assemble thefeeder are reversed. The container 12 is unscrewed from the well 30 ofthe basin 14 and both parts can then be washed in water, preferably withwarm soapy water, and then rinsed. Reassembly is then accomplished asdescribed above.

As already noted, the sealing of the closure opening 42 when the basin14 is full allows the container 12 to be refilled through the topopening without allowing fluid in the basin to escape through the feedports 66. This configuration greatly increases convenience to the useras compared with hummingbird feeders that have to be inverted forfilling in that inversion-fill feeders cannot be “topped off” withoutlosing all of the liquid nectar still in the base since the entirefeeder must be turned upside down to fill the reservoir and replace thebase.

A float valve style hummingbird feeder in accordance with a secondembodiment of the present invention is shown in FIGS. 3-6 and isgenerally designated by reference numeral 100. The feeder consists of areservoir bottle or liquid container generally designated by referencenumeral 112, a feeding basin generally designated by reference numeral114, and a sealing mechanism generally designated by reference numeral116 that includes a float valve 120 and a seal plate 122 configured forengagement with the lower end 132 of the liquid container 112.

A removable top or cap 150, secured in place such as by threads 154 thatmate with corresponding threads 155 inside the cap, closes off the largeopening 156 at the upper end of the liquid container 112 when the cap istightened. The cap 150 is vented to prevent a vacuum condition and allowatmospheric pressure to act on the column of nectar being fed into thefeeding basin from the container in the same manner as in the firstembodiment.

The bottom of the liquid container 112 forms a generally cylindricalbottleneck-shaped extension 126 with external threads 128 so that it canbe screw-threaded into the mating threads 127 of a wall 129 of anupwardly extending cylindrical well 130 of the feeding basin 114, shownin FIG. 3A. The bottleneck extension 126 has an open lower end 132,which is partially closed by the seal plate 122 when the bottleneckextension 126 is screw-threaded into the cylindrical well 130 and itslower end 132 engages the periphery of the seal plate 122. The sealplate 122 is preferably made of any soft elastomer, rubber or otherflexible sealing material such as urethane, etc.

According to the second embodiment, the float valve 120 has a centralopening 71 through which the well 130 extends. The central opening 71 isspanned across its diameter by a bridge 73 having a truncated conicalprojection 140 positioned in a center thereof. The wall 129 of the well130 is split to form opposing channels 75 that receive the bridge 73 asshown in FIG. 3A.

The seal plate 122 has a central aperture 136 through which nectar inthe container 112 flows to fill the feeding basin 114 when the floatvalve 120 is in the open position shown in FIG. 5. The aperture 136preferably has a conical side wall tapering downwardly to complement theshape of the tapered truncated conical projection 140. The open positionis obtained when the level 138 of the nectar in the feeding basin is lowand the float valve 120, floating in the nectar, is also low so that theprojection 140 is spaced away from the opening 136 in the seal plate 122to form a flow channel 125. As nectar flows into the feeding basin 114,however, the level of the nectar and, in turn, the vertical position ofthe float valve 120 and the projection 140 on the bridge 73 thereof,rises until the float valve reaches its upper position at which pointthe feeding basin is “full”.

In the “full” position shown in FIG. 6, the upwardly directed projection140 with the truncated conical shape extending from the center of thebridge 73 of the float valve 120 is received within the central aperture136 in the seal plate 122. The projection 140 thereby closes or plugsthe aperture 136 to prevent further flow of nectar from the container112 into the feeding basin through the flow channel 125.

An upstanding guide pin 142 is preferably positioned centrally in aprotrusion 144 at the base of the feeding basin 114 directly below thewell 130. The pin 142 is received within a bore 146 formed in the centerof the float valve 120 in order to laterally align the projection 140with respect to the aperture 136 during upward and downward movement ofthe float valve 120.

A float valve style hummingbird feeder in accordance with a thirdembodiment of the present invention is shown in FIGS. 7-10 and isgenerally designated by reference numeral 200. The feeder consists of areservoir bottle or liquid container generally designated by referencenumeral 212, a feeding basin generally designated by reference numeral214, and a sealing or valve mechanism generally designated by referencenumeral 216. The liquid container has a large opening at its upper endthat is closed by a removable cap in the same manner as in the secondembodiment and with corresponding reference numerals, and therefore adiscussion thereof will not be repeated here.

The bottom of the liquid container 212 forms a generally cylindricalbottleneck-shaped extension 226 with external threads 228 so that it canbe screw-threaded into the mating threads of a cylindrical wall 229 ofan upwardly extending cylindrical well 230 of the feeding basin 214, asshown in FIG. 7A. The bottleneck extension 226 has an open lower end 232configured to engage with and be sealed by the sealing or valvemechanism 216.

The sealing or valve mechanism 216 includes a float 240 connected by alever 244 to a seal assembly, generally designated by reference numeral242. The seal assembly 242 includes a plug 250 mounted on the upper endof a generally vertical post 252 positioned centrally within theupwardly extending well 230. The lever 244 is pivotally mounted at acentral part thereof by a pivot pin 254 to a base 260 of the cylindricalwell 230. A first end 256 of the lever 244 is received through a port245 in the side of the base 260 and is coupled to a lower portion of thepost 252. A second end 258 of the lever 244 is coupled to the float 240by a pivot pin 255.

The base 260 of the cylindrical well 230 includes a flat sealing edgeportion 262 that surrounds a hollow center portion 264 having aninverted truncated conical shape with sloped sides 266 (see FIG. 9). Thesealing edge portion 262 closes off the open lower end 232 when thebottleneck extension 226 is screw-threaded into the well 230. The plug250 has an inverted truncated conical shape complementary with that ofthe hollow center portion 264 so that the sloped outer surface 268 ofthe plug 250 fits in sealing engagement with the sloped side surface 266of the center portion 264 when the two are in abutment.

The plug 250 is vertically movable within the hollow center portion 264between an upper position (shown in FIG. 9) and a lower position (shownin FIG. 10) in response to vertical movement of the post 252 upon whichthe plug 250 is mounted. Vertical movement of the post 252 is initiatedby the position of the float 240 which, in turn, is determined by thefluid level 270 in the feeding basin 214. When the fluid level is low,as in FIG. 9, the float 240 is also in a low position. The weight of thefloat 240 combined with the mechanical advantage of the lever 244,provides enough force to lift the post 252 and the plug 250 against thefluid pressure in the container 212. In this upper position, the plug250 is pushed up from the hollow center portion 264 so as to be spacedtherefrom sufficiently to open a fluid flow channel 280 between theouter surface 268 of the plug 250 and the mating side surface 266 of thewell base center portion 264.

As the float 240 rises with the fluid level 270, the lever 244 pivots onpin 254 to allow the plug 250 to move downwardly to the lower positionshown in FIG. 10. In the lower position, the plug comes into sealingengagement with the side surface 266 of the well base 260, closing thefluid flow channel 280 and forming a seal so as to prevent additionalnectar from entering the feeding basin 214. Fluid pressure in thecontainer also helps to keep the seal closed.

A float valve style hummingbird feeder in accordance with a fourthembodiment of the present invention is shown in FIGS. 11-15 and isgenerally designated by reference numeral 300. The feeder consists of areservoir bottle or liquid container generally designated by referencenumeral 312, a feeding basin generally designated by reference numeral314, and a sealing mechanism generally designated by reference numeral316. The liquid container has a large opening at its upper end that isclosed by a removable cap in the same manner as in the second and thirdembodiments and with corresponding reference numerals, and therefore adiscussion thereof will not be repeated here.

The bottom of the liquid container 312 forms a generally cylindricalbottleneck-shaped extension 326 with external threads 328 so that it canbe screw-threaded into the mating threads of a cylindrical wall 329 ofan upwardly extending cylindrical well 330 of the feeding basin 314,shown in FIG. 11A. The well includes an inner flange having a generallyflat upper surface 333 that supports the sealing mechanism. Thebottleneck extension 326 fits within the well 330 and has an open lowerend 332 configured to engage with and be sealed by the sealing or valvemechanism 316.

The sealing or valve mechanism 316 includes a float 340 connected by alever 344 to a seal assembly, generally designated by reference numeral342. The seal assembly 342 includes a sealing plate 351 with a hole 349therein and a plug generally designated by reference numeral 350 movablymounted in the hole. The lower surface 353 of the sealing plate 351 isin sealing abutment with the upper surface 333 of the well flange 331 sothat, when the bottle is screwed into the well, the lower end 332 of thebottleneck comes into sealing engagement with the upper surface 381 ofthe sealing plate 351 and fluid can only escape from the bottle throughthe hole 349 in the plate 351.

The plug 350 includes a post 383 that extends through the hole 349 andan enlarged head 385 on the upper end of the post 383 above the sealingplate 351. The outer diameter of the post 383 is smaller than the innerdiameter of the hole 349, while the outer diameter of the head is largerthan the hole diameter so as to completely cover the upper mouth of thehole. The plug functions as a valve to close the hole 349. Specifically,gravity and water pressure 391 act on the upper surface 387 of the head385 to push the plug 350 downwardly and bring the lower surface 389 ofthe head into sealing abutment with the upper surface 381 of the sealingplate 351. When the plug is in this lower position, as shown in FIG. 15,fluid cannot flow through the hole 349.

The lever 344 is pivotally mounted at a central part thereof to a base360 of the well 330 by a pivot pin 354. A first end 356 of the lever 344is received through a port 345 in the side of the base 360 and extendsunder the plug 350. A second end 358 of the lever 344 is coupled to thefloat 340 by a pivot pin 355.

The plug 350 is vertically movable within the hole 349 between an upperposition (shown in FIG. 14) and a lower position (shown in FIGS. 12 and15) in response to vertical movement of the first end 356 of the lever344. Vertical movement of the lever first end 356 is initiated by theposition of the float 340 which, in turn, is determined by the fluidlevel 370 in the feeding basin 314 (see FIGS. 14 and 15). When the fluidlevel is low, as in FIG. 14, the float 340 is also in a low position.The weight of the float 340 acts on the lever 344, which pushes the plug350 upwardly against the fluid pressure in the container 312. In thisupper position, the plug 350 is pushed up such that the lower surface389 of the head 385 is spaced above the upper surface 381 of the sealingplate 351. This spacing exposes the hole and, since the outer diameterof the post 383 is smaller than the inner diameter of the hole 349,fluid is enabled to flow around the post and through the hole 349 tofill the basin 314. As is evident, the weight of the float must begreater than the weight of the plug and the fluid pressure in thecontainer 312.

As the float 340 rises with the fluid level 370, the lever 344 pivots onpin 354 to allow the plug 350, in response to gravity and fluid pressurein the container, to move downwardly to the lower position shown inFIGS. 12 and 15. In the lower position, the lower surface 389 of thehead 385 comes into sealing engagement with the upper surface 381 of thesealing plate 351, closing the hole 349 and forming a seal so as toprevent additional nectar from entering the feeding basin 314. As isevident, the float must have a buoyancy greater than its weight.

A float valve style hummingbird feeder in accordance with a fifthembodiment of the present invention is shown in FIGS. 16-29 and isgenerally designated by reference numeral 400. As shown in FIG. 16, thefeeder consists of a reservoir bottle or liquid container generallydesignated by reference numeral 412, a feeding basin generallydesignated by reference numeral 414, and a sealing mechanism generallydesignated by reference numeral 416. The bottom of the liquid container412 forms a generally cylindrical bottleneck-shaped extension 426 withexternal threads 428 and a lower edge 429. The sealing mechanism 416includes a bottle seal assembly, generally designated by referencenumeral 502, and a float valve, generally designated by referencenumeral 504, that is configured for engagement with the bottle sealassembly 502. A removable top or cap 450 closes off the large opening456 at the upper end of the liquid container 412 and is vented toprevent a vacuum condition in the container in the same manner as in theprevious embodiments.

The feeding basin 414 includes a base 462 and a removable cover 460. Thebase has a bottom 476 and an upwardly directed outer wall 477. The cover460 is preferably dome-shaped, with a central opening 464 at the upperend of the dome and a downwardly directed outer wall 465. Two arms 506project downwardly from the upper end of the dome adjacent the centralopening 464 as shown in FIG. 17. At the lower end of each arm is acoupling element 508 which will be described more fully hereinafter.

The lower edge 510 of the cover outer wall 465 is configured to form asealing connection with an upper edge 512 of the base outer wall 477when the basin is assembled. The central opening 464 in the cover 460receives the bottleneck extension 426 and has an inner edge 514configured to generally conform with the outer surface of the container412. The bottom 476 of the base 462 is provided with a guide structuregenerally designated by reference numeral 520 that will be describedhereinafter.

As shown in FIG. 18, the bottle seal assembly 502 includes a bottlecollar generally designated by reference numeral 522, a bottle sealgenerally designated by reference numeral 524, and a nozzle membergenerally designated by reference numeral 526.

As best seen in FIG. 18A, the bottle collar 522 is preferably asingle-piece molded assembly having an upper part, generally designatedby reference numeral 528, with a substantially cylindrical outer wall530 and a lower part, generally designated by reference numeral 532,also having an outer wall 534 defining a substantially cylindricalshape. The inner surface 536 of the bottle collar upper part 528 hasinternal threads 538 that allow the bottleneck extension, with itsexternal threads 428, to be screw-threaded into the collar 522 to couplethe bottleneck extension to the collar.

As shown in FIGS. 17, 18A and 21, the upper part outer wall 530 includestwo upper alignment recesses 541 on opposing sides thereof. At the baseof each recess 541 is a coupling element 540, preferably formedintegrally with the upper part wall 530, that engages with the couplingelements 508 on the lower ends of the cover arms 506 to lock the cover460 to the bottle collar 522 when the feeder is assembled. According toa preferred embodiment, the coupling element 540 on the upper part outerwall 530 is a rib or flange that extends circumferentially across eachupper alignment recess 541 and is generally parallel with an upper edge543 of the bottle collar 522 (see FIG. 21). The coupling elements 508 onthe cover arms 506 are preferably formed by an inwardly directed lip ortooth. When the cover 460 is pushed downwardly onto the base 462 toassemble the feeding basin, the arms 506 slide within the upperalignment recesses 541 until the lip 508 passes over the rib 540 andsnaps into engagement against the lower surface of the rib. As would beunderstood by persons of skill in the art, the coupling elements couldhave alternate configurations provided the coupling element on thecollar upper part is complementary with the coupling element of thecover.

The inner surface 542 of the lower part 532 is generally smooth anddefines a central opening 544. As shown in FIGS. 18A, 19 and 20, a slot546 is formed in the lower part 532 and passes through opposing sides ofthe lower part wall 548. The generally cylindrical outer wall 534 of thelower part 532 of the bottle collar 522 includes at least one loweralignment recess, generally designated by reference numeral 550, andpreferably, there are two lower alignment recesses 550 arranged onopposing sides of the lower part 532 of the bottle collar 522.Preferably, the lower alignment recesses 550 are in generally verticalalignment with the upper recesses 541 in the upper part outer wall 530,and the opposing sides of the lower part outer wall 534 having the loweralignment recesses 550 are substantially orthogonal to the opposingsides that are slotted at 546. According to one preferred embodimentshown in FIG. 18A, the lower alignment recesses are flat notches 552 onopposing sides of the lower part outer wall 534 of the bottle collar.These flat notches 552 are cut into the opposing sides so that therecessed surface of the notch in relationship with the lower part outerwall 534 creates a stop 545 on either side of the flat notch. Inaddition, the flat recessed surfaces of the notches are preferablytapered from top to bottom.

The guide structure 520 in the base 462 is configured to engage with thelower alignment recesses 550 on the bottle collar lower part 532 toensure proper orientation of the bottle seal assembly 502 and the floatvalve 504 within the feeding basin 414 when the feeder is assembled (seeFIGS. 17 and 26). According to a preferred embodiment, the guidestructure 520 in the base includes two upwardly extending opposed guidepanels 554 that are generally planar and substantially parallel with oneanother. The panels 554 are spaced from one another at a distance thatallows the bottle collar lower part to be received therebetween when thelower alignment recesses 550 are positioned to be in substantiallyparallel relationship with the guide panels. When the bottle collar 522is positioned between the panels 554 of the guide structure 520, theslot 546 is between and substantially parallel with the panels 554. Aswould be understood by persons of skill in the art, the lower alignmentrecesses could have alternate configurations provided the guidestructure is complementary therewith to secure the bottle collar to thebasin base.

The upper edges of the guide panels 554 include a connecting element 556that engages with a complementary structure, generally designated byreference numeral 558, on the outer surface of the bottle collar. Duringfeeder assembly, the lower part 532 of the bottle collar is insertedbetween the guide structures 520 with the flat notches 552 aligned withthe panels 554 so that the panels are received within the notches. Whenthe collar is fully inserted, the connecting elements 556 on the upperedges of the panels 554 are engaged with the complementary structure 558on the outer surface of the bottle collar. According to a preferredembodiment, the complementary structure 558 is an angled notch 560transverse to the flat notches and positioned near the top of the lowerpart 532 of the bottle collar and in vertical alignment with the flatnotch. The connecting element 556 is an inwardly directed lip that snapsinto engagement with the angled notch 560 to secure the bottle collar tothe base of the basin. In addition, when the bottle collar has beensecured to the basin base, the positioning of the guide panels withinthe flat notches 552 and between the stops 545 prevents the collar fromrotating relative to the basin base. As would be understood by personsof skill in the art, the complementary structure and the connectingelement could have alternate configurations provided that they workcooperatively to secure the collar to the base.

According to a preferred embodiment, the outer surface 530 of the upperpart 532 has a diameter that is greater than the outermost diameter(adjacent the top) of the outer surface 534 of the lower part 532, withthe flat notches being inset within the outer surface 534 of the collarlower part 532. Therefore, when the collar is fully inserted and coupledto the guide structure with the guide panels 554 fitted within the flatnotches 552 as described above, the outer surfaces 530 of the upperrecesses 541 formed in the upper part 528 are substantially flush withan outer surface 562 of the guide panels 554. The coupling element 540on the upper part outer surface 530 projects outwardly therefrom toprovide the lip that engages with the coupling element 508 of the coverarms 506 as described above.

The bottle seal 524 may be configured as a flat ring with a centralopening 564, similar to a washer or gasket, and may be made of cork orother compressible material capable of forming a liquid seal whenbrought into abutment with the lower edge 572 of the bottleneckextension 426. The central opening 564 in the bottle seal 524 is smallerin diameter than the open end 429 of the bottleneck extension 426, andthe outer circumference 566 of the bottle seal 524 is preferably thesame as the circumference of the outer surface 568 of the bottleneckextension at the open end 429. Hence, when the bottle seal 524 isassembled as shown in FIG. 18, the upper surface 570 of the bottle sealis in abutment with the lower edge 572 of the bottleneck extension andforms a seal therewith, and the outer circumference 566 of the bottleseal 524 is flush with the outer surface 568 of the bottleneck extension426. In addition, because the central opening 564 in the bottle seal 524is smaller in diameter than the open end 429 of the bottleneck extension426, the bottle seal partially closes the open end of the bottleneckextension when the bottleneck extension is screw-threaded into thecylindrical collar 522 and the lower edge 572 of the extension engagesthe upper surface 570 of the bottle seal, as will be further discussedhereinafter.

The nozzle member 526 includes a generally cylindrical base 574 that issubstantially planar, with an upper surface 576 and a lower surface 578.Integrally formed with the base 574 is a downwardly extending nozzle 580that projects from a central area of the nozzle member base 574. Acentral channel 582 extends through the base 574 and the nozzle 580. Thechannel 582 is open at the upper surface 576 of the base and also openat a tip 584 of the nozzle. Preferably, the channel has inwardlytapering walls so that the opening at the nozzle tip 584 is smaller thanthe opening 586 at the base upper surface 576. The outer surface of thenozzle 580 is also preferably tapered toward the tip 584. However, thenozzle may be any shape so long as it has a lower edge or surfaceconfigured for sealing engagement with the float valve 504 to bedescribed hereinafter.

While the bottle seal 524 and nozzle member 526 have been described astwo elements, they may be formed as a single component. According to onepreferred embodiment, the bottle seal is an overmolded silicon piecesubsequently molded as one piece to the nozzle member.

Where the lower end of the upper part 528 of the bottle collar 522 meetsthe upper end of the lower part 532, an inwardly extending, annularshelf 588 is formed that creates a shoulder with wall element 589 at theupper part lower end. When the nozzle member 526 and bottle seal 524 areassembled and the bottleneck extension is fully threaded into thecollar, a lower surface 578 of a peripheral portion of the nozzle memberbase 574 is in abutment with and supported by shelf 588, and the bottleseal 524 is on top of the nozzle member 526 with the bottle seal lowersurface 590 in abutment with the upper surface 576 of the nozzle member.Both the bottle seal and the nozzle member are centered by the shoulderwall element 589. When so assembled, the bottle seal 524 and nozzle base574 effectively close most of the open end 429 of the bottleneckextension leaving only the central channel 582 to provide a liquid flowpath from the container 412 into the feeding basin 414.

As shown in FIGS. 23-25, the float valve 504 includes a float generallydesignated by reference numeral 590 and a float seal generallydesignated by reference numeral 592. The float 590 has a bottom part 594with a substantially flat lower surface 596, an upstanding outer wall598 and an inner wall 600. The inner wall 600 extends upwardly from thebottom part 594 and defines a central area, generally designated byreference numeral 602, of the float. The central area 602 is preferablycylindrical although other shapes could be used provided the centralopening is able to receive the collar 522. The outer wall 598 alsoextends upwardly from the bottom part 594 and is spaced from the innerwall 600 to define an open chamber, generally designated by referencenumeral 604. The open chamber 604 is delimited by the bottom part 594,the outer wall 598 and the inner wall 600. The chamber 604 is generallyannular, but the outer wall 598 is provided with spaced cutouts 606 forreceiving nectar. These spaced cutouts 606 come into alignment with thefeeding ports 466 in the cover 460 when the feeder is assembled. Thefloat 590 is made of a material that will float in water and/or nectarso that, as the nectar level in the feeding basin rises, the float movesto an upper position and when the nectar level drops, the float moves toa lower position. Accordingly, the float may be shaped in any number ofconfigurations with or without an open chamber, provided the materialfrom which the float is made is sufficiently buoyant to move up and downwith corresponding changes in the nectar level.

Extending across the central area 602 is a bridge, generally designatedby reference numeral 610, that substantially bisects the central area602. The bridge 610 has two arms 612 in linear alignment with oneanother. The arms 612 extend inwardly into the central area 602 and arejoined by a center piece 614 having generally cylindrical sides 616 anda flat upper surface 618 (see FIGS. 25 and 26).

The float seal 592 is inset within or otherwise secured to the centerpiece 614. As shown in FIG. 24, the center piece 614 may have a hollowarea into which the float seal 592 is inserted. The float seal 592 ispreferably inset within the center piece 614 so that an upper surface620 of the float seal is flush with the upper surface 618 of the centerpiece (see FIG. 24). Alternatively, the float seal may project upwardlyfrom the center piece or be recessed therein so that the upper surfaceof the float seal is higher or lower than the upper surface of thecenter piece, respectively. In addition, the float seal may be composedof multiple pieces stacked upon or otherwise arranged with each other topresent an upper surface suitable for engagement with the nozzle tip. Inone preferred embodiment, the float seal is an insert molded seal 592 asshown in FIG. 24.

The float seal 592 is positioned in the center piece 614 so as to bedirectly below the nozzle tip 584 when the feeder is assembled. Thefloat seal 592 is preferably made of any soft elastomer, silicon, rubberor other flexible sealing material. The nozzle 580 is made of a lessflexible material than the float seal 592 to ensure that the nozzle willseat itself in the float seal to close the channel 582 in the nozzlemember 526 when the float is in the upper position.

To assemble the feeder 400, the float valve 504 is positioned within thefeeding basin 414 as shown in FIG. 20. Particularly, the annular portionof the float is received within the feeding basin with the outer wall598 and cutouts 606 adjacent the base outer wall 477 and the inner wall600 surrounding the guide panels, and the bridge 610 extending betweenthe guide panels. The bottle seal assembly is then received within thebasin by aligning the slot in the bottle collar lower part with the armsof the bridge in the central area of the float, and engaging the loweralignment recesses with the guide structure, as shown in FIGS. 19, 21and 25. Once the bottle collar 522 is coupled to the guide panels 554 inthe feeding basin base 462 by engaging connecting elements 556 into theangled notches 560, as shown in FIGS. 25 and 26, the positioning of thebridge within the slot in the bottle collar captures the float valve 504to prevent the float from rotating. The float valve 504 is free,however, to move up and down with the nectar level.

The basin cover 460 is then coupled to the basin base 462 by engagingthe coupling elements 508 on the cover arms with the coupling rib orflange 540 on the outer surface of the collar upper part (see FIG. 17).The positioning of the cover arms 506 within the recesses 541 serves toalign the cover to key the position of the feeding ports to be directlyover the cutouts 606 as shown in FIG. 27. The bottleneck extension ofthe container is then screw threaded into the collar 522 to couple thecontainer to the feeding basin.

Before the feeder is filled with nectar, or when the nectar level islow, the flat lower surface 596 of the float bottom part 594 rests on,or is near, the bottom 476 of the feeding basin base 462 in the lowerposition as shown in FIG. 28. In this lower position, the nozzle tip 584of the bottle seal assembly 502 is spaced from the float seal, allowingnectar, when poured into the container, to flow into the feeding basin.As nectar flows into the feeding basin, the level of the nectar and, inturn, the vertical position of the float valve rises. When sufficientnectar has been received within the basin, the float valve 504, floatingin the nectar, reaches its upper position at which point the feedingbasin is “full”.

In the “full” position shown in FIG. 29, the float seal 592 comes intosealing engagement with the tip 584 of the nozzle 580. With the nozzletip seated in the float seal, the float seal closes or plugs the centralchannel 582 in the nozzle member 526 to prevent further flow of nectarfrom the container into the feeding basin through the central channel.

In all five of the embodiments described herein, a float valve is usedto control the amount of liquid nectar allowed to enter the feedingbasin of the top-fill hummingbird feeder. By venting the cover or cap 50of the container holding the liquid nectar in each embodiment,atmospheric pressure can be used to dispense the nectar when the floatvalve is open. When the feeding basin is full, the float in conjunctionwith the nectar level automatically prevents further filling of thefeeding basin. As such, overflow of the basin in response totemperature-related expansion of the air in the container from night today time periods is also prevented.

A representative location of a vent 15 in the cap 50 is shown in FIG.30. While the vent can be located anywhere in the cap, the location ofthe vent 15 under the support feature 11 used to hang the feeder, asshown in FIG. 30, is advantageous as the support feature 11 helps tominimize the entry of water and debris into the feeder which couldpotentially contaminate the nectar inside. A simple filter or screencould also be added to minimize entry of foreign matter such as dirt orinsects through the vent hole. In an alternative vent style, grooves orcuts may be formed in the cap threads to allow venting through the capthreads so that a vent hole is not necessary.

A second embodiment of a vented cap according to the present inventionis shown in FIGS. 31A and 31B. In this embodiment, the vent hole 151 isformed as part of a mounting structure 700 used to hang the feeder.

All of the foregoing feeder embodiments support a wide array ofcontainer shapes; the only requirement is that the bottleneck extensionis of a uniform size and configuration to be secured within the basinand/or basin-cooperating structures. Examples of possible containershapes are depicted in FIGS. 32A through 32E. These same shapes areshown in perspective view in FIGS. 33A through 33E. The presentinvention is not intended to be limited to these container shapes,however, as would be understood by persons of ordinary skill in the art.

The foregoing descriptions and drawings should be considered asillustrative only of the principles of the invention. The invention maybe configured in a variety of shapes and sizes and is not limited by thedimensions of the preferred embodiment. Numerous applications of thepresent invention will readily occur to those skilled in the art.Therefore, it is not desired to limit the invention to the specificexamples disclosed or the exact construction and operation shown anddescribed. Rather, all suitable modifications and equivalents may beresorted to, falling within the scope of the invention.

What is claimed is:
 1. A top-fill hummingbird feeder comprising: aliquid container with a liquid opening at a lower end; a feeding basinpositioned below the liquid container for containing nectar accessed bybirds; and a sealing mechanism including a valve responsive to a nectarlevel in the feeding basin for opening and closing the liquid opening.2. The top-fill hummingbird feeder as set forth in claim 1, wherein thevalve is movable between a first position in which liquid is permittedto flow from the container and into the basin, and a second position inwhich liquid is prevented from flowing from the container into thebasin.
 3. The top-fill hummingbird feeder as set forth in claim 2,wherein the valve is a float valve selectively covering the liquidopening of the container.
 4. The top-fill hummingbird feeder as setforth in claim 3, wherein the sealing mechanism includes a plug and afloat, the float being movable in a vertical direction with the nectarlevel within the basin for biasing the plug into and out of a sealingposition associated with the first position of the valve.
 5. Thetop-fill hummingbird feeder as set forth in claim 4, wherein the plugdirectly engages with the liquid opening of the container in the sealingposition.
 6. The top-fill hummingbird feeder as set forth in claim 4,wherein the liquid container includes a collar coupled to the containerand to the feeding basin, the collar having a through channel in liquidcommunication with the liquid opening, the plug engaging with thethrough channel in the sealing position.
 7. The top-fill hummingbirdfeeder as set forth in claim 6, wherein the float has an open centralarea substantially bisected by a bridge structure and the collarincludes a slot formed in a lower portion of the collar, the bridgestructure aligning with the slot to capture the float and preventrotation thereof when the collar is coupled to the feeding basin.
 8. Thetop-fill hummingbird feeder as set forth in claim 4, further comprisinga bottle seal arranged between the container and the basin and defininga through opening, the plug engaging with the through opening in thesealing position.
 9. The top-fill hummingbird feeder as set forth inclaim 8, wherein the bottle seal comprises an annular body having adownwardly extending nozzle associated with the through opening.
 10. Thetop-fill hummingbird feeder as set forth in claim 4, wherein the plug isformed integrally with the float.
 11. The top-fill hummingbird feeder asset forth in claim 4, wherein the plug is directly connected to thefloat.
 12. The top-fill hummingbird feeder as set forth in claim 4,further comprising a lever pivotally mounted to the basin, the leverhaving a first end engaging with the float, and a second end engagingwith the plug.
 13. The top-fill hummingbird feeder as set forth in claim1, wherein the feeding basin includes a base and a removable cover. 14.The top-fill hummingbird feeder as set forth in claim 13, wherein: theremovable cover includes: a central aperture for receiving the lower endof the container; a plurality of feed openings formed through the coverfor receiving a plurality of feed ports; and a plurality of perchesformed integrally with the cover and arranged below each of theplurality of openings in a vertical direction; and the base includes anintegral upwardly-extending cylindrical well aligned coaxially with thecentral aperture of the cover.
 15. A top-fill hummingbird feedercomprising: a liquid container with a liquid flow opening at a lowerend; a feeding basin positioned below the liquid container forcontaining liquid nectar accessed by birds through at least one feedingport, the liquid nectar having an upper surface; and a float valveincluding a float having an annular portion that is received within thefeeding basin and positioned around the liquid flow opening, the annularportion being buoyant for floating upon the liquid nectar upper surface,the float having a sealing surface operative to close and open theliquid flow opening of the liquid container as a level of the nectar,with the float supported on the upper surface thereof, moves up anddown, respectively, as a nectar level in the feeding basin increases ordecreases.
 16. The top-fill hummingbird feeder as set forth in claim 15,wherein the sealing surface includes a seal closing the liquid flowopening when the nectar level indicates the feeding basin is full. 17.The top-fill hummingbird feeder as set forth in claim 15, wherein thefloat has an open central area substantially bisected by a bridgestructure.
 18. The top-fill hummingbird feeder as set forth in claim 17,wherein bridge structure includes two arms in linear alignment andseparated by a center piece.
 19. The top-fill hummingbird feeder as setforth in claim 18, wherein the sealing surface includes a seal made ofan elastomeric material, the seal being positioned on the center pieceand operative to close the liquid flow opening when the nectar levelindicates the feeding basin is full.
 20. The top-fill hummingbird feederas set forth in claim 15, further comprising a bottle seal arrangedbetween the liquid container and the feeding basin, the bottle sealdefining a central opening in communication with the liquid flowopening, the sealing surface engaging with the central opening when thenectar level indicates the feeding basis is full.